Tailgating isn’t just for the stadium! Spend a little time with your friends, neighbors or family this month watching the big game with all the tailgate swagger of a pro! Plus, I’m sharing all my tips on how to host a potluck-style tailgate party to make it more doable AND fun.
It’s easy with this complete guide. All of the planning & finding just the right things is done for you!
- I’ve got 5 simple recipes,
- the keys to asking for help to create an organized potluck tailgate (& why your guests will thank you for it),
- a timeline for getting it done with zero stress (even if you work all day)
- and shoppable links for setting your buffet table so you feel confident & an invitation to your tailgate party becomes the very best part of the season!
Why a Tailgate Party?
It’s absolutely an E-A-S-Y excuse to get together. It is 100% true in the South that tailgating, football and how you spend your Saturdays is kind of a big deal.
But as a hostess, you don’t have to be serious fan, or even a fan at all! All that fervor just makes it easy to gather your people and soak up loads of joy and laughter while offering special moments centered around something they truly enjoy! That’s the real win here.
Your tailgate doesn’t even have to be team specific. Just go classic with plaids and silver to create an old school collegiate look you can use over and over again! This also means you can invite anybody over for any game, any time. We’re tailgating like champions now!
A Potluck-Style Tailgate’s The Thing
And because everyone is so into game day, a tailgate party is an ideal get-together to turn into a potluck, where your guests bring a few easy dishes to round out the menu.
Potlucks are wonderful because you don’t shoulder all of the hosting responsibilities by yourself- at least not the food part anyway- making it easier & more economical to host gatherings more often.
How To Ask Guests To Bring Specific Recipes
You can host a potluck where everyone just brings what they like- maybe their favorite game day snack. That can be a lot of fun, but it doesn’t always end up with a menu that eats like a meal. You might get all desserts or dips… or 11 huge bags of chips. We’ve all experienced it.
And for some guests, asking them to bring whatever can create real stress, causing them to spend their week hunting for that perfect recipe they hope will impress.
With that in mind, it’s more than ok to be specific when asking for help with your tailgate party menu. Simple requests like, “Could you bring a cheeseball this weekend? I’ve got a great recipe I’ve been wanting to try, and it would go perfectly with the rest of the menu I’ve planned!”
Another way to ask is, “I have three recipes I need help with for our tailgate party this weekend- a cheeseball, a Frito corn salad and an apple coleslaw. Which one would you like to take on?”
When asking your guests to make specific recipes, it’s thoughtful to consider:
- the time they have during the week,
- their individual confidence in the kitchen
- and the type of strain it might put on their respective budgets.
As a result, if they’re not choosing, you want to pair your recipes with the right guest!
It’s also ok to let your guests know, “You don’t have to worry about what dish to bring your recipe in. Just bring it in whatever is easiest for you! I’ve got a whole tailgate themed buffet set up. We’ll just transfer your recipe into one of the football platters (or silver bowls) I got for the occasion!” You would be surprised how much stress that takes off a lot of people too!
Just remember, the bottom line is… getting together is about being together and having a great time doing it! Don’t miss one chance to celebrate BIG this season.
Guides & Lists To Create This Plaid Tailgate
Table Links
- Navy Check Tablecloth + Folding Round Drink Table
- Round Silver Tray
- Navy & Gold Metallic PomPoms (many colors)
- Small Plaid Cocktail Plates
- Long Silver Bowl with Handles
- Green Plaid Throw Blanket
- Football Appetizer Party Picks
- Football Kitchen Towels (football & ref stripes)
- Camel/Gold Dinner Napkins by Hen House Linens
- Silver Pedestal Serving Bowl
- Wooden Scalloped Bowls (I use the small and medium.)
- Silver 3 Tiered Stand
- Navy & White Tablecloth (I use the 60x 120 size for my 6 ft folding table.)
- Wooden Football Trays
- 2 Galvanized Drink Tubs
Recipes
Timeline (Total Time 3 Hrs.)
Task Times are approximate.
This tailgate/watch party is meant to be hosted potluck style. The timeline reflects making the cheese ball, the BBQ Pot Roast Sliders and cookies while delegating the coleslaw, Frito corn salad, drinks and chips. For tips on how to delegate/ organize potluck, see info in the actual post above.
1 Week Before- Invite your friends & ask them to bring one of the needed dishes.
3 Days Before– 15 minutes (excluding shopping)
- Buy all of your ingredients.
- Make the cheese ball, but don’t roll it in the toppings until the day you’re serving it. Store it in the fridge wrapped in plastic wrap until you are ready.
2 Days Before- 45 minutes
- Make the Coconut Pecan Cookies. After cooling completely, store them in an air tight container or zip top bags.
1 Day Before- 1 hour, 20 minutes
- Have white tablecloth & any extra chairs you might need delivered. (From, Ep. 1, I do this so I don’t have to own, store or clean these items. I used a white tablecloth under my navy one + the throw blanket.
- Get out tailgate decor + the serving pieces you’re using to set your buffet + drink table. (10-15 minutes)
- Make a plan of how you will place everything on your table. Which recipe is going in which serving dish? Label them so it’s easy later, especially if someone will be helping you the day of. (15 minutes)
- Set up buffet table, drink station + chairs. Put on tablecloths. Add decor. (30 minutes)
- Sear the beef + put it in the crock pot before you go to bed. Cook on low 8-10 hours. (20 minutes)
Day Of– 45 minutes
- Place cookies on your tray. Garnish with fruit, if you like. (5 minutes)
- Roll your cheese ball in its toppings. Place on a platter or tray with a variety of crackers, celery + fruit. (10 minutes)
- Shred the beef and stuff it in your slider buns. Arrange on a platter or tray. (15 minutes)
- Add ice to the drink buckets + chill the drinks. (10 minutes)
- As your guests arrive, have them put their recipes in the designated serving bowls.
Day After
- Browse through your phone and choose 1-2 pics from your party. Order same day photo cards from your local photo lab & mail keepsake thank you notes! (My favorite step, even if it’s guests I see all the time!)
Just had to comment. I love all of your messages, especially the table setups. Made me smile just now when I was looking at the Potluck post and saw you in a Murray State sweatshirt. Our grandson is a freshman this year. We live in Florida so any reference brings him closer. Thank you.
Hi, Betsy! Thank you so, so much! My son graduated from Murray State in 2022. He absolutely loved it, as I am sure your grandson will too (I know you miss him)! I have several sweatshirts from my son’s time there, and I decided at the last minute to wear one just for him (but maybe it was really for you). This is such a neat connection! I am so tickled knowing this!